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Appeal on March 8th International Women’s Day

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Appeal on March 8th International Women’s Day

by Rubina Jamil, General secretary All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, 23 February 2017

Appeal on March 8th International Women’s Day

Dear Comrades, Friends, sisters and brothers,

As you know that the international conference of socialist women in 1910 in decided that each year would be celebrated an international women's day.

On 8th March 1917, brave Russian women workers, by striking and taking to the streets in a struggle for peace, bread and liberty, started the Russian revolution.

Since the 8th March has been the date of the international women day.

Comrades, as a trade unionist organizer and woman activist in Pakistan, I believe that March 8th 2017 must take a special dimension: on the International Women’s Day, we are also going to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Russian revolution, which is still a great source of inspiration for all of us, for all the working class, for all the peasants, for all the oppressed people, youth and also for the women workers.

Today, all over the world, we, the women, are the victims of the violence, by the State, at home and by the war.

Especially in countries like mine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka. Thousands of women killed in terrorists attacks, in a wave of terror for which imperialism is responsible. They are also the victims of Violence. Traditional and social norms only applicable to women, by a patriarchal and feudalistic system which treats them as third grade citizens.

Let me tell you that this appeal received a great response and support from 13 countries.

So,Let us struggle unitedly to break all those chains and celebrate March 8th with great zeal and raise our voice against all forms of discrimination, exploitation, oppression and injustice, by paying great tribute to those Russian Working Women who started struggle in 1917.

Let us celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th, 2017 as a component of the movement of all those exploited and oppressed against war, extremism and for peace and freedom and social justice..

I am convinced that all those who struggle for the indepandence of the labour movement, will take up once again the fight against the oppression of the women.

Through that fight we will draw the lessons of the position occupied by the struggle of the women in the russian revolution and in all the revolutionary developments.

Let us join in the struggle to end violence, war, exploitation, and all forms of discrimination.

Long live the struggle of the women for full equality of rights!

Long live the working class!

Long live International Solidarity!

Rubina Jamil,

General secretary

All Pakistan Trade Union Federation

Member of the follow up committee of the International committee of workers against war and exploitation for a workers international (ICW)